Demi Moore Biography

Demi Moore was born Demetria Gene Guynes in Roswell, N.M. She spent many of her childhood years in Rogers Manor, Pa., a small town south of Pittsburgh. As a child, Moore endured a difficult childhood. Her biological father, Charles Harmon, left her mother, Virginia King, after a two-month marriage, before Moore was born. As a result, Moore had the surname of her stepfather, Danny Guynes, on her birth certificate. Guynes, who committed suicide in 1980, frequently changed jobs — as a result the family moved a total of forty times before eventually settling in Los Angeles in 1976.

When Moore was 16, her friend, actress Nastassja Kinski, persuaded her to drop out of Hollywood's Fairfax High School, where her schoolmates included Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis and actor Timothy Hutton, to become an actress. After quitting school, Moore went to work as a pin-up girl, modeled for European photographers, and worked at a collection agency. When she was 18, Moore married rocker Freddy Moore, a union that would last four years. It was during this time that she landed her first roles. In 1981, she made her film debut in the coming-of-age drama "Choices." The following year, she would a role on the daytime soap "General Hospital," in addition to appearing in the films "Parasite" and "Young Doctors in Love."

Moore took a few more strides in 1984, landing her first lead role in the feature "No Small Affair," in which she starred opposite Jon Cryer, in addition to turning heads in "Blame it On Rio." She would land her breakthrough role the following year, starring as a cocaine addict in the collegiate tale "St. Elmo's Fire," which showcased fellow “Brat Pack” stars Rob Lowe, Ally Sheedy and Moore’s one-time fiancé Emilio Estevez.

In 1987, Moore increased her fame by marrying actor Bruce Willis in a Las Vegas ceremony presided over by singer Little Richard. She then became a bona fide superstar with her role in the 1990 film “Ghost,” a romantic drama co-starring Patrick Swayze. The following year, Moore gained attention when she posed nude while pregnant for the cover of Vanity Fair magazine. She would also appear in a string of box-office flops, including "Nothing But Trouble" and "The Butcher’s Wife."

Moore would bounce back, however, starring in the 1992 hit movie “A Few Good Men,” with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. Another box-office smash would follow, 1993’s "Indecent Proposal," in which she starred as a woman who agrees to a one-night stand with a wealthy man, played by Robert Redford.

In 1996, Moore became the first actress to reach the $10 million salary mark for lending her voice to Disney's animated feature "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." That same year, she would find herself in the middle of controversy once again with the film “Striptease,” the story of a divorcée who turns to stripping in order to raise money and win back custody of her daughter.

In 1997, Moore took on the title of producer for the wild successful "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery." She would continue in that capacity for each of the film’s sequels — "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" (1999) and "Austin Powers: Goldmember" (2002).

In 2003, Moore bounced back into the public spotlight in a big way. In addition to starring in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," she began dating a Hollywood star 15 years her junior — Ashton Kutcher. The pair later tied the knot in 2005.